


picture perfect endings (look just like this)

by baecobz



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, New Year's Eve, Romance, Social Media, Swearing, Twitter, guanlin is a solo artist and jihoon is studying psych and literature at a ny college!, lapslock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 21:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13726209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baecobz/pseuds/baecobz
Summary: even though jihoon thinks the time square ball drop is the most overrated event of the year, he can’t complain when it means he bumps into an unrealistically-handsome idol with a smile that belongs on every billboard in the city.





	picture perfect endings (look just like this)

**Author's Note:**

> this was written for the [panwink project](https://twitter.com/sparksfly2033/), as hosted by the lovely [jess](https://twitter.com/slackeuse)! so many amazing authors are posting their fics as well, so it'd be awesome if u could check out the proj twitter for their fics :')

jihoon may be many things, but observant isn’t one of them.

sure, he’s learned to pay attention and keep his eyes open for his friends’ haircuts or sour moods, but he still finds himself skipping over details and missing out on some vaguely alluded information.

it’s because of his obliviousness that he finds himself staring at the insanely handsome stranger beside him, racking his head for  _ where _ he could’ve possibly seen him before.

he squints, shifting in his spot and trying to remember everyone he bumped into over the past few days- between the local starbucks and the strangers he meets at work, he can’t seem to figure out how he met the other.

it’s only after an embarrassing amount of time that he musters up the courage to reach out and tap the stranger on the shoulder, anxiety be damned, and try to seem more friendly than creepy.

“i’m sorry, have we met before?” jihoon coughs out, only stuttering once or twice and doing his best to give what he hopes is a comforting smile. his english is still a little awkward, but the past few years have done wonders for his fluency.

“um,” the stranger murmurs, and he’s somehow even more gorgeous when he’s facing jihoon directly, “i don’t think so, sorry.”

jihoon can’t even stop the instinctual swear in korean as it escapes his throat, cheeks heating at his mistake. part of him wishes he had kept his mouth shut and simply stayed content by staring at the stranger.

“oh, you speak korean?” jihoon perks up, nodding enthusiastically as the stranger switches to a language that jihoon’s far more comfortable with. “nice to meet you.”

“you too.” jihoon extends a trembling hand and hopes the stranger doesn’t comment on how nervous he is. “i’m park jihoon.”

“lai guanlin.” he’s given a gummy smile alongside the handshake, looking at jihoon as though he’s never seen anyone prettier in his life. and honestly, jihoon knows he’s pretty, but has this guy ever looked in a mirror before?

but something about the name sparks a note of familiarity in him, and jihoon chews at his bottom lip before his mind reminds him of a fan-sponsored billboard in the center just a week earlier, and-

“ _ oh my god _ .” jihoon coughs out, and he stumbles back on instinct. his foot catches on a patch of ice, and he barely has time to watch guanlin - foreign idol, popstar, and overall Boyfriend Material - stare back at him before jihoon is blinking up at the sky and having the air slammed out of his lungs. “oh my god,” he says again, although it’s embarrassingly garbled and sounds much more like a choked mess than coherent words. guanlin peers over him, visibly concerned, and jihoon wonders how many fangirls would kill to be in the same position. it hits jihoon, rather by surprise, that he would willingly fall a hundred times if it meant guanlin would look at him with such intensely genuine  _ care _ .

the realization that guanlin is still looking at him, helping hand outstretched, makes the air disappear from his chest all over again.

“oh no, are you okay?” jihoon takes guanlin’s hand and tries not to wish that the taller boy had been able to swoop in and catch him.

guanlin is an  _ idol _ , and that’s the only explanation jihoon has for being so immediately enamored by him. he’s tall and beautiful and maybe a little prince-like (okay, a  _ lot _ prince-like), and jihoon knows there must be dozens of fans who were just as quickly in love.

“fine,” jihoon manages, “sorry. i’m- i’m going to go.”

mortified, jihoon scrambles to dust himself off and attempt to leave, but his haste backfires when he finds himself slipping on the  _ same fucking piece of ice _ . he flails his arms in a desperate attempt to regain his balance, but his athleticism seems to have taken a vacation- he braces himself for another fall, but--

“careful.” guanlin laughs, his hands warm and steady on jihoon’s shoulders. “you’ve already fallen once too many.”

“uhhhh,” jihoon says intelligently, because guanlin is  _ so close _ and jihoon can literally feel his cheeks burn at their proximity. he’s once again overwhelmed with the urge to just stumble away and disappear, but there’s another part that’s urging himself to stay put- when else will he get an experience like this? to have an unrealistically perfect guy watching him with such bright care and concern?

jihoon resides himself to his fate as a hopelessly smitten gay with a newfound crush on a celebrity. better take advantage of the situation, right?

“thank you.” he chokes out eventually. “do you- do you mind if i ask if you’re alone? aren’t idols supposed to have staff with them, or something like that?”

guanlin looks far too pleased at jihoon’s question, probably having been hoping that the older boy would mention that.

“nope, i’m alone! i asked to have one night out by myself, and the staff said it was allowed.” guanlin’s expression is so adorably smug that jihoon has to resist the urge to poke the younger boy’s cheek.

“was it your birthday wish?” jihoon does his best to seem casual, but there’s a glimmer in guanlin’s eyes that lets him know his subtlety had already been thrown out the window. “your fans got you a billboard here the other week.”

“yeah, i saw it on twitter. hyung, are you a fan too?”

“hyung?” jihoon smiles, thoroughly enjoying the way guanlin laughs awkwardly in response. “and sorry, but i don’t follow idols much. i think my friends are big fans of yours, though.”

“ah, i see.” a pause, then, “when were you born? you’re my hyung, aren’t you?”

“99,” jihoon can’t help the giggle that escapes his lips at guanlin’s wide eyes, “what about you?”

“2001. i knew you were my hyung!” he sounds so pleased at the idea of it, standing just a little bit straighter. “hyung, do you live in new york?”

“i go to college here, but i’m from korea.” jihoon explains, mumbling slightly when he notices how intently guanlin is listening to him. “wow, you’re so young.” he can’t even stop himself from commenting on guanlin’s age- although the idol practically radiates youthfulness and naivety, he’s so genuine and mature that he almost seems older.

“i’m not that much younger than you.” guanlin pouts, eyes crinkling when jihoon sputters back in reply. he’s beautiful like that, jihoon notices offhandedly, laughing and teasing amidst city lights and cacophonous chatter.

it’s right then that he spots a figure in the corner of his eye watching them awkwardly with starstruck eyes- it’s a young girl who looks like she’s constantly debating whether or not to come over, and jihoon nudges guanlin to point her out.

guanlin, being the angel he is, waves at her with bright eyes and an even brighter smile, and she shuffles over, phone shaking in her hand.  _ must be a fan _ , jihoon decides, so he takes a small step back to watch as guanlin continues to glow at the recognition.

“i’m really sorry,” the girl manages in stilted korean, “could i take a picture with you?”

“of course!” guanlin flashes a gummy smile in return and jihoon literally feels his heart  _ melt _ . “are you more comfortable with english?”

“yes, but i’m practicing my korean! so korean is okay! and- i’m sorry, are you a celebrity as well?” the girl smiles shyly at jihoon and he panics, because  _ what _ .

“uh, no?” he chances a glance at guanlin only to find the younger boy stifling his laughter. “i’m just- i’m a normal guy.”

“oh, i’m sorry! you’re just very handsome, so i thought you were another idol.” she gives a quick bow and grins when guanlin raises her phone to take a picture. “thank you so much! and happy new year!” she ducks her head and sprints back into the crowd- jihoon can’t blame her: there’s something about how  _ perfect _ guanlin seems that makes him want to disappear and scream about it into his pillow.

“you are really pretty.” guanlin comments, and jihoon whips his head around to stare back in disbelief. “i’m sorry, was that too much?”

“no, just-” jihoon’s heart pounds far too loud in his chest, the mess of surrounding conversations barely audible over his own heartbeat, “have you seen yourself? no one’s pretty compared to you.”

guanlin laughs at that, but his expression is almost  _ shy _ , light pink dusting his cheeks.

“thank you, but you’re very handsome as well.”

jihoon’s mess of words gets lost in the sound of the announcer finally getting ready for the ball drop, and guanlin tugs on jihoon’s arm to pull them both closer into the swarm of people. they don’t get too far, surrounded by hundreds of strangers and echoing bass music, but guanlin is smiling at him like there’s no one else there. guanlin definitely doesn’t act the way that jihoon imagined an idol would- he’s carefree and considerate, friendly even to complete strangers. in another world, if they had met while they were on the same field - both regular people, or even perhaps both celebrities in the spotlight - it might make everything easier. but this is the only world jihoon knows, and he sure as hell isn’t going to let guanlin go so easily. love at first sight be damned, jihoon was at least going to get  _ something _ close to love.

the countdown starts all too soon, and he can barely hear when guanlin shouts, “can i?”

jihoon blinks back, nodding without quite understanding because although he’s sure guanlin can do literally anything, he doesn’t know what the younger boy is talking about.

and then the ball drops and guanlin is pressing a quick kiss to jihoon’s cheek and jihoon can feel his heart  _ lurch _ .

“oh my god.” he says quietly, then again, much louder, so that guanlin can hear. “um?”

“i should be heading back to my hotel!” guanlin shouts back, gummy smile still on full display and making jihoon’s chest tighten. “let’s meet soon, jihoon hyung!”

jihoon waves in response, numbly staring as guanlin makes his way back out of the crowd. his cheek burns where guanlin had left his quick peck, and he promises to never forget the feeling.

he doesn’t really have much reason to stay after that, not when the highlight of his night had clearly already passed, so he heads home soon after, mind still replaying the evening’s events.

just before he nearly passes out on his bed, he takes a cursory glance at some of his phone notifications (his instagram blows up from time to time, so he tends not to pay too much attention to the buzz of his phone). it’s then that he notices an  _ insane _ amount of notifications from his twitter after being tagged in a photo, which is odd because the most he’ll be tagged in is some sort of tag game but--

that’s when he sees The Most Heartstopping Tweet Of All Time.

 

**swaggy rapper** _ @laiguanlin _

nye was awesome! hope you all had a good start to your new year~ and thanks to @winkhoon for keeping me company, and @ilylinnie for the picture :))

 

(jihoon gets several complaints the next morning regarding the “insanely high pitched cheering”, but it’s worth it.)

**Author's Note:**

> tysm for reading! i honestly struggled a bit writing this but i rlly hope u enjoyed reading regardless :')  
> here are some fun facts abt this au tht i wasn't able to fit into this fic:  
> \- guanlin was meant to debut as a rapper in ptg but was waaay too young (a la samuel and svt), but his first appearance was as a feature in one of ptg's mvs  
> \- guanlin also does a lot of overseas promotions, esp in china/taiwan! but bc he's also p fluent in eng+other languages he goes to other countries a bunch  
> \- almost all of his tweets have some sort of picture or video attached  
> \- jihoon was originally just going to do a semester abroad in the us, but ended up rlly liking the ny uni so he applied there for all 4 yrs!  
> \- he's part of the dance club and joined bc woojin (another student there) challenged him to a dance-off in the quad and jihoon was instantly recruited  
> \- altho he studied eng back in korea most of his fluency comes from being immersed in nyc!  
> \- jihoon usually doesn't like big crowds + the ball drop (he thinks it's v overhyped) but he goes sometimes for Good Instagram Pictures  
> ((i kinda want to do a follow-up fic based solely on their twt interactions afterwards so lmk if ud be interested in that!! thank u again for reading hhhh if u made it this far i LOV U))


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